Netflix

Netflix Finalizing a Deal for 13-Episode Horror Series HEMLOCK GROVE from Eli Roth

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: December 12th, 2011 at 2:06 pm

With Netflix taking on original programming through their streaming service for the anticipated return of Arrested Development and a new series from David Fincher and Kevin Spacey called House of Cards, the DVD mailing and online streaming outlet is really making a stride to compete with cable television providers. Their most recent effort comes in the form of a horror series as Deadline reports Netflix is currently negotiating with Gaumont International Television for a 13-episode horror series called Hemlock Grove backed by Hostel mastermind Eli Roth. The series is based on an upcoming horror novel of the same name by Brian McGreevy the series is said to be set against the backdrop of our darkest myths, adolescent deceptions, ravenous relationships and rumors of a werewolf lurking about and aims to reimagine everything it means to be a monster as reflected in the struggle to be human. More after the jump.

Lionsgate Vice Chairman Michael Burns Says THE LINCOLN LAWYER Will Get a Sequel in Addition to the TV Series; Provides Updates on Other Projects

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 6th, 2011 at 1:55 pm

Lionsgate Vice Chairman Michael Burns was on CNBC this morning to talk about what lays ahead for the studio.  In between touching on possible business deal with Summit Entertainment and talking up The Hunger Games, Burns also provided some new updates on some of the studio’s upcoming projects.  Here are the quick and dirty bullet points:

• It was announced back in August that Lionsgate would develop their hit movie The Lincoln Lawyer into a TV series with ABC.  However, Burns revealed they’ll also be doing a second movie.
• To the surprise of no one, Saw 3D was not the final entry into the successful horror franchise.  Burns expects there will be a new Saw someday.  Huzzah.
• Lionsgate is developing a new series with Netflix called Orange Is the New Black.  The show is from Weeds creator Jenji Kohan.

It will be interesting to see how Lionsgate attempts to balance Lincoln Lawyer both as a TV series and a film franchise.  Is Matthew McConaughey enough to draw out an audience that can already get the character at home?  Can the lead in the TV series out-McConaughey McConaughey? (The answer to the second question is “No.”)  Hit the jump to watch the full interview with Burns.

Hello, Michael. New Episodes of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Coming to Netflix

by Jackson Cresswell    Posted: November 19th, 2011 at 7:11 am

Expensive suits.  Quasi-incestuous relationships. Carl Weathers.  Minor Treason.  It’s been nearly six years since the Bluth family brought good wholesome entertainment into America’s living rooms.  But finally, after years of fan demand and seemingly endless rumors, new episodes of Arrested Development are returning to television in 2013.  Provided, of course, that television has Netflix.

Like Family Guy and Futurama before, Twentieth Century Fox is bringing back the critically-acclaimed sitcom (Time Magazine called it one of the best TV shows of ALL-TIME)  for a brand new season in 2013.  But unlike its animated counterparts, fresh episodes of Arrested Development will be broadcast exclusively on Netflix.  We told you back in March that Netflix would host original content with Kevin Spacey’s House of Cards, and while Development isn’t technically a Netflix original, the new episodes are surely the rental service’s highest-profile project to date.   Hit the jump for more on AD’s return.

Sony Pictures TV to Distribute David Fincher and Kevin Spacey’s HOUSE OF CARDS After Netflix

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: November 14th, 2011 at 2:27 pm

TV fans without Netflix worried that you wouldn’t be able to see forthcoming drama series House of Cards starring Kevin Spacey with David Fincher in the director’s chair for the pilot have some good news today. Though Netflix will air the new series exclusively at first, Variety has word that Sony Pictures Television has finalized a deal with Media Rights Capital to distribute the seris after Netflix’s window on the series expires. It’s not clear how soon episodes will air after they premiere on Netflix, but at least those who are still stubbornly not subscribing to the service will have a chance to see House of Cards at some point.  More after the jump.

Netflix Signs Deal with The CW to Stream GOSSIP GIRL, SUPERNATURAL, ONE TREE HILL, and More

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 13th, 2011 at 10:20 am

Continuing to make themselves the dominant force in streaming etnertainment to users, Netflix, Warner Bros. Television Group and CBS Corporation have just signed a four-year deal that will bring all prior seasons of The CW’s current scripted series and future shows to Netflix. That means all previous programming, and anything between now and the 2014-2015 season will be made available to watch instantly by Netflix users. The deal includes all drama series on the network’s 2011 schedule like Ringer, Hart of Dixie, The Secret Circle, The Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, 90210, Supernatrual, Nikita and One Tree Hill.

All the previous season of The Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill and Nikita will be available on October 15th while episodes of Supernatural and 90210 won’t arrive until January 2012. As for all the episodes airing on The CW this season, they will be made available in the fall of 2012, before the next season starts. However, any new series that appear on The CW after this point, will be made available through a commensurate window during that current season. Good news for anyone who likes them some programming from The CW and those who are eager to see Netflix continue to dominate the online entertainment market. Read the entire press release after the jump.

Netflix Quickly Disposes of Qwikster

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 10th, 2011 at 7:35 am

Netflix may be in a panic.  The company upset many of its customers back in July by splitting its DVD and Streaming business and charging separately for both (a backlash I thought was unwarranted).  A few weeks ago, the company tried to apologize for how they revealed the new pricing plan only to shoot themselves in the foot by announcing “Qwikster”, a re-titling of their DVD-by-mail program that didn’t win over those who were previously unhappy and irritated the loyal customers who would lose integration between their queues.  The only upside of the announcement was that Netflix would start renting video games.

Netflix has now changed course again by having CEO Reed Hastings announce on the company’s official blog that Qwikster is no more.  The company also reaffirmed their commitment to no more price changes even though they shouldn’t make promises they can’t keep.  While I won’t mourn Qwikster, I am curious to see if Netflix will still try to add video game rentals to its business.

 

Netflix Inks Deal with AMC to Exclusively Stream THE WALKING DEAD; also Strikes Deals with IFC, Sundance Channel and WE TV

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 7th, 2011 at 10:58 am

Netflix already has a sweet deal with AMC for streaming every season of Mad Men and Breaking Bad, but the online video service has just inked a new deal with the cable network to land exclusive rights to The Walking Dead which includes current and future seasons of the undead drama series. The deal also has Netflix snagging the rights to stream certain series’ past seasons before the premiere of subsequent seasons on their respective channels. This includes programs like Portlandia (a damn hilarious sketch comedy series) and The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret on AMC, All On The Line with Joe Zee and Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys on the Sundance Channel and unscripted series like Braxton Family Values, My Fair Wedding, and Bridezillas on WE tv. Plenty more series, including some unknown future programming on AMC and Sundance, have also been included with the deal as well. Netflix is undoubtedly continuing to make itself the dominant service in online video streaming, and as a very happy subscriber, that’s some great news.

Netflix Wants to Make New Episodes of RENO 911!

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 6th, 2011 at 4:31 pm

While the service is currently part of the bidding war to bring Arrested Development back for new episodes, apparently Netflix is also interested in bringing another canceled series back from the dead. Vulture is reporting that the pay service is currently talking with the show’s producers Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher about bringing Reno 911! back for new episodes after its cancellation in 2009. However, a deal with series co-creators and stars Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant and Kerri Kenney-Silver has not been closed just yet.

One of the other hold-ups might be Comedy Central’s copyrights over the show since the cable network would have to agree to let Netflix exclusively host the new episodes initially. As of now these are just early talks, and nothing is set in stone, but the discussion actually was happening before Netflix even came into the mix on the Arrested Development front. Either way, it sounds like Netflix is becoming a serious competitor in hosting exclusive content, almost to the point of becoming their own channel. The question is whether there are enough fans of Reno 911! to make it worth their while. Personally, I’d love to see Thomas Lennon back in the shades and short-shorts.  Hit the jump for a few clips of the show.

Bidding War Breaks out over New Season of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 5th, 2011 at 9:30 am

The recent announcement of a new season of Arrested Development just happened a few days ago and a bidding war has already broken out between several prospective buyers looking to snag the rights to the eagerly awaited new episodes of the canceled Fox comedy series. Netflix and Showtime were said to be in the running when the news broke over the weekend. Now Vulture has word that Hulu is entering the mix as well. Personally, I’d like to see the series actually end up on television again to get the maximum audience possible, but if the only buyer is Showtime, then the pay cable service doesn’t exactly make it any easier to watch than if it were on Netflix. Either way, it sounds like fans are going to have to pay money to one of these three services in order to watch new episodes of Arrested Development, but for fans who have been thirsty for more of the Bluth family, I don’t think that will be an issue.

Netflix Spins off DVD-by-Mail Service into Qwikster; Will Add Video Game Rentals

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 18th, 2011 at 11:12 pm

Netflix has faced a revolt ever since splitting its DVD-by-Mail Serve and Video Streaming Service into two separate price plans.  I argued at the time that this split was necessary to keep the company competitive and that people were free to leave if they felt priced out of the service.  Now I feel like I’m being punished for sticking around.

On the official Netflix blog, co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings apologized for the way the announcement of the new pricing-plan was made, and further tried to explain why Netflix had adopted the new pricing scheme. He then revealed that the company will spinning off its DVD-by-Mail service onto a new site, Qwikster.com.  Hit the jump for more details and why this new development won’t win anyone back and only irk those who stayed.

Jason Alexander Does a PSA for the Netflix Relief Fund

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 28th, 2011 at 9:55 am

A couple weeks ago, I wrote an editorial chastising those who were upset at Netflix’s recent price hike.  I explained that the company needs to raise their prices in order to stay competitive and that no one owes you cheap movies nor are you obligated to stay a Netflix subscriber.  Total strangers disagreed with me in the comments section and now I have seen the error of my ways.

That’s why I’m so glad Jason Alexander has done a PSA for the Netflix Relief Fund.  I was so ignorant to think that having to pay six to ten extra dollars wasn’t the same kind of suffering endured by non-middle-class white people the world over.  So please, drink deep of this white whine and together we can refuse to pay a little more for movies where Jason Statham plays a hitman.

TOP 5: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, HARRY POTTER Interviews, JOHN CARTER, FINAL DESTINATION 5 Set Visit, Netflix Price Increase

by Jason Barr    Posted: July 16th, 2011 at 2:35 pm

I’m letting everyone know right out of the gate that I’m cheating a little on this week’s “Top 5.” As you may know by now, every week I do my best to condense all of our weekly coverage into what the editorial staff deems our “Top 5″ stories. This week, I find that we have a plethora of coverage for various titles. As a result, after the jump you’ll find that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, John Carter, and Final Destination 5 all have multiple links. Also included in this week’s installment is The Dark Knight Rises teaser poster and Matt’s take on Netflix’s announced price increase. Hit the jump for brief recaps and links to each.

Editorial: Why Netflix Doesn’t Owe You Cheap Movies

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 14th, 2011 at 11:17 am

Netflix is one of the biggest online success stories of the past decade.  After years of Blockbuster dominating the rental market, Netflix first entered the fray by selling a mail-order DVD selection that went far beyond what any single store could offer.  But their real triumph was when they began streaming their movies online and then expanded to hardware like TiVo, Roku, and gaming consoles.  Now they’ve moved into the mobile market and their streaming library continues to expand.  While cable companies and studios struggle to compete with their own VOD services, Netflix offers a variety and breadth of titles far beyond its competitors.

So I was shocked and dismayed when there was a backlash to the company’s recent announcement that they would be raising their prices.  Hit the jump for my explanation of why Netflix needs to charge more in order to stay competitive and to keep the massive streaming library that made it so popular in the first place.

Robin Wright Joining Kevin Spacey in Netflix’s HOUSE OF CARDS

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: June 10th, 2011 at 8:56 am

Back in March we learned that the remake of the British miniseries House of Cards with a pilot directed by David Fincher would not end up at HBO or AMC, but rather the DVD mailing and streaming video service Netflix picked up the new seires. The growing company beat out the big cable networks for the promising series starring Kevin Spacey, and now another talent has just joined the mix. THR reports Robin Wright is in negotiations to take the lead female role in the new series which takes the British political drama and moves it to the United States. focused on a former Conservative Party chief of staff who follows a hungry politician who wants to be the new Prime Minister at the end of Margaret Thatcher’s term. It’s not clear what will be the focus of this new version in the US, but I’m guessing it will be something akin to The West Wing.

Anyway, the series is expected to begin production on the first 13 episodes of a 26-episode commitment in the spring of 2012, and Netflix will stream the series exclusively starting later that same year. It’ll be interesting to see how many of Netflix’s subscribers flock to the series, but with 20 million of them, I’m sure a decent number (myself among them) will be interested in a series with this kind of talent behind it.

MAD MEN Coming to Netflix Instant in July

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: June 1st, 2011 at 8:51 am

For those of you who don’t have the cash to buy the season sets on DVD and Blu-Ray, or just don’t have the patience to get each individual disc from your preferred video rental service, we have good news for viewers who are interested in catching up on AMC’s stellar drama series Mad Men. THR reports Lionsgate TV has just inked a new syndication deal with Netflix that will have every season of the hit drama begin streaming in their instant library starting in July. The new deal also includes iTunes and Amazon for digital distribution of content, but Netflix is the key player here , and Mad Men should definitely benefit from it. The more people tuning in for this spectacular series, the better. So if you’ve been waiting for a sign from above to start watching Mad Men and you have Netflix, now is the time.

Copyright ©2005 - 2012. All Rights Reserved. California web design